Rademon Estate Distillery in Northern Ireland praised for sustainability

Rademon Estate Distillery at Crossgar, county Down in Northern Ireland, a leading producer of craft gin and single malt whiskey is being highlighted for its use of sustainable energy in a new campaign by the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA), the body that represents whiskey producers on the island of Ireland.

The new campaign profiles the sustainability credentials of the Irish whiskey industry. Reducing water usage, supporting barley growth, and using renewable forms of energy are just some of the measures Irish whiskey distilleries are introducing to promote sustainability across the industry, the association says.

The campaign will highlight how Irish whiskey distilleries and bottlers are leading the way in promoting sustainability. Each week the campaign will focus on a different company and one of their key sustainability achievements.

Rademon Estate Distillery is among the first seven to be profiled during January and February. IWA says: “All power used by Rademon Estate Distillery is sustainably supplied by their on-site wind and hydro turbines. Rademon Estate Distillery is located in co Down and is the home of Shortcross Irish whiskey and gin.”

Rademon is the only Northern Ireland distillers in the first batch which also includes Irish Distillers, Teeling, Terra Spirits and Liqueurs, Slane Distillery, Boann Distillery, and Great Northern Distillery, all based in the Republic of Ireland.

John Quinn, IWA chairman, says: “Building on centuries of heritage, the Irish whiskey industry is now looking to the future and leading the way when it comes to sustainability.

“Our new campaign will paint a vibrant picture of Ireland as home to some of the world’s most sustainable distilleries. Irish whiskey producers are employing a range of innovative and cutting-edge technologies to reduce energy usage, reduce water use and reduce waste, while increasing the use of renewable energy, increasing the use of Irish barley and malt, and supporting biodiversity.

“It’s not just about the environment. As the number of Irish whiskey distilleries has grown from four to 40 over the past decade, new distilleries have supported urban regeneration and rural development, reusing vacant buildings and sites, employing and buying locally and attracting visitors to communities across the island of Ireland,” he adds.

The campaign will continue with more companies to be profiled in March, April, and May. In addition to this new campaign, IWA is establishing a series of expert groups which will work to develop a new sustainability strategy for the Irish whiskey industry built around a series of industry-level targets, aligned with Sustainable Development Goals and with the targets set-out in Irish and Northern Irish Climate Action Plans.

Rademon Distillery using alternative ‘clean’ energy sources